transition: literacy and information literacy. author: philip russell
TRANSCRIPT
Tools for Transition: Supporting the Path to
Third Level Education Through Effective
Literacy and Information Literacy Supports
Philip Russell
Deputy Librarian
Institute of Technology Tallaght
Learning to Learn
DIT February 6th 2015
Agenda
• Learning to Learn Module
• Online Tutorials
• Peer Assisted Learning Support
Programme [PALS]
Traditionally we have thought about literacy as the skills of reading and writing; but today our understanding of literacy encompasses much more than that. Literacy includes the capacity to read, understand and critically appreciate various forms of communication including spoken language, printed text, broadcast media, and digital media. (National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy, 2011)
Information literacy is a natural extension of the concept of literacy in our information society, and information literacy education is the catalyst required to transform the information society of today into the learning society of tomorrow. (Bruce, 2004)
Background
•Institute of Technology Tallaght
(ITT Dublin) - range of courses /
4725 FTEs
•Non-traditional students
•Literacy / information literacy / digital literacy – strategic focus
- 3 level Information Literacy Framework (2004)
- Strategic Plan (2009-2014)
- Learning, Teaching & Assessment Strategy (2011)
•Rationale
-learning skills deficit
-first year retention issues
•Launched September 2012
– mandatory 5 credit module for all first year students
•Modules aims
-help students adapt to a third level educational environment
-engage students - reflective,
independent learners
•Delivery - first semester across all disciplines
Learning to Learn (L2L) at Third Level
L2LLearning Outcomes
Identify and engage in the learning process / create a personal learning plan
Study effectively as an independent learner / work collaboratively in a team
Manage time efficiently - plan and organise learning tasks
Use critical thinking / analytical skills to solve a variety of problems
Recognise importance of academic integrity, avoid plagiarism through good practice and referencing
Delivery
Lectures / in-class exercises
Group discussion
Small group tutorials
Introductory IT workshops
Moodle VLE
Online library tutorials
Assessment
Learning journal: students reflect on their learning programme of study 40%
Project or group project, including a written research-based report and presentation 40%
Online assessment quizzes from the Library SCORM tutorials (integrated with Moodle to facilitate grading) 20%
Some Observations
•Pros
-Active learning
-Reflective practice
-Improved writing /communication skills
-Group work / interactions
-Link to subject area
•Cons
-Time pressures / workload
-Lack of engagement
-Not seeing value of L2L to other modules
-Language difficulties
-Poor ICT skills
Evaluation
• Over 2400 students completed L2L
• Need to assess overall impact
• Spring 2014 – online survey software -
SurveyGizmo
• Discussions / interviews / focus groups
Student Comments
“there is far too much time dedicated to the module, too heavy a workload particularly the group assignment which falls at a time when other more pertinent modules have assignments/exams due”.
“I don’t think I would have adapted so well in third level without the support of this module…it is a huge transition from secondary school to college and this course helped me with basic skills such as reading, report writing and study skills”.
I believe there can be an over reliant on Web based learning and not enough on note taking…I think more handwritten assignments would have benefitted towards preparing for a written exam”.
“I found the whole experience very rewarding…as a mature student this course helped me get back into education, it was helpful in so many aspects and I can use these skills for other subjects”.
•Analyse survey findings / make recommendations
-Integrated activities / assessments
-Ongoing staff training and support
-Raise awareness / promote
-Community of practice
L2L - Next Steps
Online Tutorials
•Sept 2010 - self-paced / interactive / 24x7
•Undergraduates / postgraduates
•Reading, writing, grammar, research, critical thinking, report writing, plagiarism
•Multiple delivery platforms
•Sustainable / reusable under Creative Commons
•Integrated into academic modules via Institute VLE –Moodle
•Enhanced delivery of core academic skills / information literacy
-Blended approach-Collaboration-January 2015 – tutorials added to 50+ academic modules
Implementation
Tutorial Usage
76%
10%
8%
6%
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Academic
Support staff / other
Sept. 2010 – Jan. 2015
Total Completions: 6538
Student Feedback
• Develop and reinforce
key skills - reading,
writing, note taking,
critical analysis,
information use
• Self-directed research
• Facilitate transition to
higher education
“As a new student this onlineresource has made myintroduction to college a loteasier, and helped me withmy studies. I feel that I ammore likely to succeed now atall levels of my course”
Peer Assisted Learning Support
Programme (PALS)
“PAL may be defined as a scheme for learning support and enhancement that enables students to work cooperatively under the guidance of students from the year above” [Capstick et al, 2004]
•September 2014 – PALS for 1st year mechanical engineering students through use of 2nd year peer support on the L2L module
•Aim
-enhance student learning and develop literacy skills
-support integration into third level
-culture that facilitates student centred lifelong learning
The 1st Year Experience
Study Methods
Social Interaction
Peer Support
Literacy Skills
•PALS Stage 1
-peers recruited/trained
•provide support to L2L activities
-study plan-writing lab reports-poster creation-exam revision
•PALS Stage 2
-specific tutorial sessions
Initial Evaluation•Structured interviews
•Online questionnaire –students asked to rate activities
•Benefits of PALS
-integration into college-improved personal / academic skills-greater engagement
•Develop PALS toolkit / manual
•Expand PALS programme
“the peer network has supported my coursework and made adapting into college a lot easier .”
“the peers helped me understand the college system better and what is expected of me at third level.”
Thank You
"Higher education providers should address identifiedshortfalls in students’ skills during their first year in highereducation. This can be done by expanding the availability ofinduction and preparation courses for first-year students,covering skills such as self-directed learning, timemanagement, information literacy and critical analysis”.(National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, 2011)
Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for Quality Learning at University.
Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press.
Bruce, C. (2004). Information Literacy as a Catalyst for Educational
Change. A Background Paper . In Danaher, Patrick Alan, Eds. Proceedings
“Lifelong Learning: Whose responsibility and what is your contribution?”, the
3rd International Lifelong Learning Conference, pages pp. 8-19, Yeppoon,
Queensland. Available at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/4977/1/4977_1.pdf [Retrieved 2nd February2015]
Capstick, S., Fleming, H. and Hurne, J., (2004). Implementing Peer Assisted Learning in
Higher Education: The experience of a new university and a model for the achievement
of a mainstream programme, [online] Available at:
http://pal.bournemouth.ac.uk/documents/implmntng%20pal%20article61.pdf [Retrieved
1st February 2015].
Department of Education and Skills (2011). Literacy and Numeracy For Learning and Life: The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020, Dublin: Department of Education and Skills. Available at:https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/PolicyReports/lit_num_strategy_full.pdf [Retrieved 3rd February 2015].
References
Department of Education and Skills (2011). National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030: Report of the Strategy Group, Dublin: Department of Education and Skills. Available at:
http://www.hea.ie/sites/default/files/national_strategy_for_higher_education_2030.pdf [Retrieved
29th January 2015].
Goodfellow, R. (2010). Literacy, literacies, and the digital in higher education. Teaching in Higher
Education, 16(1), pp. 131–144.
Russell P. et al (2013). Creating, sharing and reusing learning objects
to enhance information literacy. Journal of Information Literacy,
December 2013, Volume 7, Issue 2. Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.11645/7.2.1744 [Retrieved 3rd
February 2015].
Sharpe, R., Beetham, H. & de Freitas, Sara (2010). Rethinking Learning for a Digital Age: How
Learners are Shaping their Own Experiences. New York: Routledge
References
Slide 1: Mark Brannan. Learn.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/heycoach/1197947341/
Slide 8: AJ Cann. Feedback Checklist.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajc1/9568156463/
Slide 10: Gerd Altmann. Learning
http://pixabay.com/en/learn-note-sign-directory-64058/
Image Attributions